Sabres sign forward Josh Doan to 7-year, $48.65 million contract extension

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres signed Josh Doan to a seven-year, $48.65 million contract extension in a deal announced Wednesday that secures the third-year forward as a key fixture of the team’s core group.

The signing was the first completed by newly promoted general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and rewards a player enjoying a breakout season in his first year with Buffalo.

The 23-year-old is from Scottsdale, Arizona, and the son of former Coyotes captain Shane Doan. In showing signs of following in his father’s offensive and physical style, Doan has already set career-bests with 15 goals and 35 points in 49 games this season, and leads the NHL with 35 takeaways.

Doan was in the final year of his rookie contract, and is now signed through 2032-33.

“Josh is a player that impacts the team both on and off the ice,” Kekalainen said. “He works hard, is competitive and skilled, and his game is going to continue to develop.”

Doan was acquired along with defenseman Michael Kesselring in a trade that sent high-scoring forward JJ Peterka to Utah in late June. The deal was completed by Kekalainen’s predecessor Kevyn Adams, who was fired last month.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Doan played mostly a checking role with the Mammoth, but was eager to develop his offensive touch in an expanded role in Buffalo. Selected by Arizona in the second-round of the 2021 draft, he’s already surpassed the combined production of 12 goals and 28 points in 62 games over his first two NHL seasons.

Doan’s two-way presence has helped the Sabres climb into playoff contention in a bid to end an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo (27-17-5), coming off a 5-3 win at Nashville on Tuesday night, is 16-3-1 in its past 20 and entered Wednesday in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

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